With EPFL's support, Croatia wants to hold onto talented researchers

Under a pilot project that draws on EPFL's expertise, four highly promising young Croatian researchers will be awarded tenure-track professor status and receive a million francs to set up a research program in their country. The project was launched today in Zagreb. Croatia's pilot tenure-track program will brighten the career prospects of a handful of the country's top young researchers. The program, which was officially launched today in Zagreb, was developed by EPFL, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education, the Croatian Science Foundation (CSF) and various academic institutions in Croatia. This ambitious program, which has a budget of 4.7 million francs, aims to drive innovation in Croatia and limit brain drain. Following a selection process that began in March, four young and highly promising Croatian researchers will be awarded tenure-track professor status. They will each receive a budget of one million francs to set up a laboratory, hire a team and put a research program in place - all within four to five years.